sa国际传媒淭he Capital, like all newspapers, angered people every day in its pursuit of the news. In my day, people protested by writing letters to the editor; today itsa国际传媒檚 through the barrel of a gun.sa国际传媒� - Tom Marquardt

Those are the words from former executive editor and publisher of The Capital Gazette after June 28, killing four in the editorial department and one from the sales department.

A reporter at The Capital did a court story about Jarrod Ramos, the suspected gunman. The story was about his conviction for criminal harassment charges against a female high school classmate. Ramos filed a defamation case against the newspaper and attacked the papersa国际传媒檚 employees online. The reporter didnsa国际传媒檛 want to pursue charges against Ramos and risk making the situation worse. The investigating officer determined there was no threat.

They were wrong.

But you cansa国际传媒檛 fault the reporter or officers. Ramossa国际传媒� threats were veiled. They seemed more like online bashing rants.

This incident, however, highlights the fact that reporters die for simply doing their jobs. Last year about 81 reporters worldwide died in targeted killings and crossfire incidents, according to the International Federation of Journalists.

Itsa国际传媒檚 likely that many reporters encounter death threats throughout their career. Itsa国际传媒檚 our job to print the truth and sometimes that isnsa国际传媒檛 popular. Forbes and Huffington Post writer once said, sa国际传媒淚f yousa国际传媒檙e not pissing someone off, you probably arensa国际传媒檛 doing anything important.sa国际传媒�

Itsa国际传媒檚 not uncommon for reporters to get hate mail and, as journalists, we develop plank thick skin. The verbal and online bashing rolls off like grease from a Teflon pan.

Death threats, however, are another thing. We never get used to them. Neither should the public.

An attack on journalists is an attack on the truth and, in the end, democracy.

sa国际传媒� Lisa Joy/Black Press News Services

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